Yesterday we began our two-part series on how leaders can avoid burnout.
It began with a Forbes article that discussed 10 tips on the very topic.
They included:
- Get in the Right Mindset
- Establish Fair Expectations
- Make Progress with Small Steps
- Keep Your Goals in Mind
- Prioritize What You Do Best
- Create a Support Team
- Set Strong Boundaries
- Shake Up Your Routine
- Indulge Guilty Pleasures—Daily
- Take Time Off
Ten Ways Leaders Can Avoid Burnout
We started with the first five in yesterday's post. Today we'll explore the second five.
Create a Support Team
The support team isn't an internal team. Some people call it an advisory board and others call it coffee with friends. Think about who you know and what types of things they do really well. Then devise a list of questions and invite them to coffee. If you want something a little more formal, consider an executive group such as Vistage.
Set Strong Boundaries
You are the only one who can set those boundaries...and your team members will follow suit. There is a CEO in Canada who has a rule that no emails are to be sent or received after 5 p.m. He says it took about six weeks for people to get used to it, and now there is a flurry of activity at 4:45 each day, but his team members are much more productive because of it.
Shake Up Your Routine
While routine can make you productive, if you only sit at your desk all day, every day, you'll easily bore. Take meetings outside of the office. Do a walk-around every morning and talk to team members. Get out of your chair.
Indulge Guilty Pleasures
It's easy to focus and work all day and suddenly 12 hours have gone by. But all work and no play makes for a very boring leader. Even if you have to break up your day by watching a funny video or two, it's a welcome brain break that will make you even more productive.
Take Time Off
Some leaders don't work weekends. Others wait and take two week vacations. Whatever works for you, make sure you have scheduled time off that does not include meetings, phone calls, or emails.
Do you agree with these 10 tips? What works for you?
